As part of Responsible Fishing and Aquaculture Week, from February 12 to 18, several visits to fishing vessels allowed school classes to discover the current reality of maritime professions, as well as the efforts of Reunionese shipping companies to preserve fisheries resources.
and Tugdual Poirier, director of Cap Bourbon
Responsible Fishing and Aquaculture Week is an event organized for eight years by the NGO Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) et Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)*. On this occasion, lazy, This year, opened its doors to students of the second year Defense class of the Antoine-Roussin general and technological high school in Saint-Louis, for the visit of a vessel and the presentation of the challenges of responsible and sustainable fishing in the waters of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), where this Reunionese shipowner has been operating since 1948. This event was held as part of the new educational system of the TAAFiennes Days, launched this year by the upper administration of TAAF to allow Reunionese students to discover the territories, TAAF missions and resources through conferences and field visits.
Meeting with the sailors
February 1, the students were able to discover the Sapmer, the challenges and context of maritime professions, as well as the commitment of Réunion shipping companies to sustainable development in the TAAF. “Our methods have been rewarded, since the fisheries have obtained the MSC label : in 2013, the toothfish fishery in Kerguelen, in 2017 the toothfish fishery in Crozet and in 2020 the lobster fishery in Saint-Paul and Amsterdam”, explained Estelle Baie to young people, executive assistant at Sapmer. This theoretical presentation was followed, the 14th, of the ship's visit Mascarene III on the Sapmer site at the Port. This visit allowed them to interact with the sailors, who testified to the conditions in which fishing takes place, in particular by respecting the rate of reproduction of the species.
The Cape Kersaint, hybrid propulsion fishing boat
February 16, Cap Bourbon took over, taking advantage of the presence of the longliner at the quayside Cape Kersaint, his Southern lands fishing boat. Under the leadership of Tugdual Poirier, director of Cap Bourbon, a press visit took place in the presence of Alice Lemoigne, the Reunion longboard champion. The Cape Kersaint, hybrid propulsion fishing boat, was designed with the aim of ensuring responsible fishing. Alice Lemoigne, double world champion, and Tugdual Poirier, demonstrated their respective commitments to the preservation of marine resources. Commitment which results in particular in the automation of fishing operations and a longline diving method without contact with the open air, preventing birds tempted by the bait from getting hurt by the hooks. The safety of sailors is another priority for armaments. Another visit to Cape Kersaint, this one intended for schools, took place on the 23rd as part of the Cap Bourbon partnership with the TAAF. On his side, Armament Southern fishing meeting (Reunite group) took advantage of this fishing information week to announce the obtaining of its Sustainable Fishing eco-label. Réunion Pêche Australe is the first Reunion fishing vessel to obtain this certification for toothfish fishing.
* Read also on leaderreunion.fr : Aquaculture, the “yes, but » of the French, Meeting Leader n° 225, September 2023.
